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Religious Connections
Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy is a devout Christian who has taught Sunday School for over 51 years and whose religious beliefs permeate the company to this day. The company's official statement of corporate purpose says that the business exists "to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." The chain invests heavily in community services (especially for children and teenagers) and scholarships. Cathy's beliefs are also responsible for one of the chain's distinctive features: All Chick-fil-A locations (company-owned and franchised, whether in a mall or freestanding) are closed on Sundays. Chick-fil-A has promoted religious groups via toys and CDs included in children's meals, much as movie studios promote new movies via McDonald's Happy Meal toys. These have ranged from including toys from the Christian television series VeggieTales in children's meals to including Financial Peace for Kids children's books by Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey and CDs from the Christian radio program Adventures in Odyssey, as children's meal incentives. The last show mentioned is produced by the radio division of Focus on the Family, and typically heard on Christian radio stations. On September 7, 2010, Chick-fil-A will be a minor sponsor of a golf tournament CCV's 23rd Annual Golf Classic benefiting Cincinnati's Citizens for Community Values, a conservative religious 501c non-profit which "promotes Judeo-Christian moral values."About Us Among these values is the belief that homosexual activists are a threat to society and homosexual behavior is among behaviors (including "rape, incest, pedophilia, premarital sex, adultery, bestiality and pornography") that are a "departure from the Divine Order".Where Do We Stand Other issues of concern to the group include curbing sexually-oriented businesses, protecting marriage and the family as well as lobbying against activities they consider harmful to children.CCV Issues Chick-fil-A and Focus on the Family also have a history of cross-promotion. Chick-fil-A has also sponsored meetings by the group All Pro Dad; All Pro Dad is a group with affiliations with Family First a non-profit organization based out of Tampa, Florida started by Mark Merrill and Tony Dungy. Chick-fil-A has also directly sponsored other religious campaigns. One of the groups sponsored by Chick-fil-A is Athletes in Action, a sports missionary arm of the Campus Crusade for Christ. Another link between Chick-fil-A and religious groups includes promotion of National Bible Week. S. Truett Cathy is the chair of the National Bible Week Committee. Truett Cathy is also heavily involved in the WinShape Foundation, a non-profit organization which was started in 1984 with its goal to "shape winners" by offering summer camps, retreats, foster care, and other services. In New Jersey, they give support to Choices of the Heart. Chick-fil-A's connection to Christianity has been brought before the courts when Aziz Latif, a Houston-based Muslim employee for 6 years, sued the company in 2002 for firing him, alleging that he was fired for his religious beliefs when he had refused to take part in an employee prayer. The suit was settled on undisclosed terms.The Cult of Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A received prime product placement in the 2008 Christian-themed film Fireproof, in a scene in which the main character, working to save his troubled marriage, soothes his wife with the company's chicken noodle soup.